A Soft Hum

A square metal music box was left sitting slightly tilted on the bottom wooden shelf. I crept toward it, pressing one plush paw against its cold winding key. With a slow, steady twist, I turned it once, twice... then released it. A gentle, fragile melody began to trickle out, accompanied by the muffled ticking of its tiny internal gears. I curled my body around the wooden frame, resting my cheek against the polished timber to feel the quiet vibration hum beneath me until the last chime dissolved into stillness.